Snowflake Expands to AWS New Zealand to Meet Growing Demand
▼ Summary
– Snowflake is expanding its New Zealand presence by deploying a local instance on AWS’s Asia Pacific New Zealand region, expected to go live in the first half of 2026.
– This deployment will enable New Zealand customers to keep their data securely onshore while utilizing Snowflake’s scalable AI Data Cloud and AI tools.
– The initiative supports data governance, sovereignty, security, and resilience, benefiting both public and private sector organizations.
– Snowflake’s New Zealand Country Manager stated this will help customers innovate faster and support economic growth through AI adoption.
– The AWS New Zealand Region, launched in September 2025, involves a NZ$7.5 billion investment with three Availability Zones in Auckland for enhanced business continuity and low latency.
Snowflake is significantly expanding its footprint in New Zealand by deploying a local instance on the recently launched AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region. This strategic move directly addresses the rising demand for enhanced data sovereignty, security, and governance among local organizations. By establishing a physical presence within the country, Snowflake ensures that customer data remains securely onshore while still providing full access to the powerful scalability and flexibility of its AI Data Cloud platform.
Scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2026, this new local instance will allow both public and private sector clients across New Zealand to store their data domestically. They can continue leveraging Snowflake’s near-instant elasticity to scale their operations and utilize an expanding suite of AI tools and services, all while meeting strict data residency requirements.
Tony Shaw, Snowflake’s New Zealand Country Manager, emphasized the importance of this development. “This announcement marks a pivotal step forward, enabling our diverse customer base, from enterprise and government to healthcare and education, to innovate with greater speed and security,” he stated. “Artificial intelligence is poised to be a major catalyst for economic growth and productivity. We are confident this planned deployment will deliver these advantages and more, helping to upskill New Zealand for the future. It also underscores our deep commitment to the local market and our strong partnership with AWS.”
The initiative has garnered positive feedback from key customers and partners, including BNZ and Accenture. Paul Norman, Chief Information Officer at BNZ, commented, “Protecting our customers’ data is our highest priority. Snowflake’s upcoming availability on the AWS New Zealand Region will provide New Zealanders with increased flexibility to develop and launch new data-driven services. Having this onshore option reinforces public confidence that data remains within Aotearoa and is accessible swiftly and securely.”
Romain Groleau, Technology Lead for Accenture in New Zealand, also welcomed the news. “As a strategic partner to both Snowflake and AWS, and given our role in supporting some of the largest client transformations nationwide, the launch of this regional platform is perfectly timed to meet escalating client demand for sovereign data solutions,” Groleau explained. “This collaboration allows us to assist local clients, especially those in heavily regulated sectors, in accelerating their adoption of cloud-powered AI. This, in turn, drives meaningful innovation and sustainable growth.”
The AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region officially opened on September 2, 2025, representing a substantial NZ$7.5 billion investment in local infrastructure. The region is composed of three Availability Zones, with data centers strategically positioned in separate geographic locations around Auckland. These zones are spaced sufficiently apart to ensure business continuity for customers, yet close enough to deliver low-latency performance for high-availability applications that operate across multiple zones. Each Availability Zone features independent power, cooling, and physical security systems, interconnected by redundant, ultra-low-latency networks for maximum reliability.
(Source: ITWire Australia)
